(Actually 3 of them), and why you should use them, Secret Tip!. I love new gear. It doesn’t matter if it’s a plug-in, a new guitar, studio monitors. It gets me all creative inside. I have been buying gear for decades, and I have picked up a few tricks along the way. Yeah, anybody can perform a Google search and come up with umpteen thousand places to find what they are looking for, but believe me – there can sometimes be a better deal out there, or a better way to get that gear you are so anxiously wanting. So here’s my list of the best online music store or stores you should consider for your next purchase.
Let’s go over my top 3 “go to” stores, and why you should opt to use them. Trust me, not everyone knows about #3. Here they are (they are not in a particular order, depending on what you’re looking for – you may want to try all of them!):
Best online music store #1. Zzounds.com
If you did not know this already – ZZOUNDS ROCKS. I have purchased a lot from these guys, and the reason I keep going back is the fact that you can buy gear and pay for it in installments! Well, wait a minute my guy, I have bad credit?!? Bad credit you say? Try them out! You will be surprised. Now I am not telling you to over extend yourself if your broke, but if you just can’t afford that new $300 keyboard today and you need it for a gig next week, you can brake that $300 in to 4 equal monthly payments! It really is amazing. I honestly don’t know how they do it. Many times have I wondered why other retailers in other markets can’t pull this off? They brake the total of your purchase into 4, 6, 8, or 12 monthly payments.
This is from Zzounds website:
PLAY AS YOU PAY®
The wait is over. Start playing now with Play as you Pay®! With the Play as you Pay® Installment Plan, you can get the gear you want now, and spread the cost across multiple payments. Approval couldn’t be simpler — just select a payment plan during checkout to get started. There’s no paperwork, and zZounds never charges you interest! Use your own payment card to make the first payment up front, and we’ll split the remainder into approximately equal monthly installments.
How do I qualify for Play as you Pay®?
Most orders over $79 qualify for our four-payment plan, and depending on the items and amount you order, additional payment plans may be available. Check on product pages and in your cart to see what payment plan(s) your order is eligible for. To qualify for Play as you Pay®, in addition to the information that we require for all orders, you must provide a U.S. billing address, Social Security number, and active email address.
What are my payment plan options?
| Plans Available Now |
|---|
| 4 Payments: Split your order total into 4 payments. Eligible on orders $49-$1,250. |
| 6 Payments: Split your order total into 6 payments. Eligible on orders $99-$1,250. |
| 8 Payments: Split your order total into 8 payments. Eligible on orders $299-$3,000 that include qualifying item(s). See individual product pages for item eligibility. |
| 12 Payments: Split your order total into 12 payments. Eligible on orders $599-$3,000 that include qualifying item(s). See individual product pages for item eligibility. |
Promotional offers can be removed or changed at any time without notice, and other restrictions may apply to individual offers including but not limited to restricting the amount an individual may finance, restricting product eligibility and restrictions on combining payment plans with other offers.
Zzounds offers a huge selection of recording gear, software, accessories, guitars, drums, etc. They typically sell at MRSP, but will match an advertised price and do also sell factory resealed products and scratch and dent or small blemish items at a decent discount. Their customer service is top notch. Honestly, whenever I call them, I get amazing service.
If I have an automatic payment coming out on a Wednesday, but my work check won’t be deposited until Friday – I kindly ask them to move the payment to Friday and viola! Only once have I had a defective product, and nobody likes defective products. Zzounds made a crappy experience as good as it could get. They sent me a return package label and I had a new item the next day. In a world where great customer service is hard to come by, Zzounds seems to make it look easy.
Just when you thought you couldn’t afford that next purchase – enter Zzounds.com.
Best online music store #2. Guitar Center
Ok, wow – everybody has heard of Guitar Center, right? Then why am I listing it?
I’m listing Guitar Center not for their new products, but for their used gear. Guitar Center has a HUGE selection of used musical gear in every category. Seriously, it will amaze you. And the longer it’s listed on their website, the more the price will go down. That is unless someone snags it before you do.
Learn how to navigate the used and vintage sections of their website or app. Find the category you’re looking for, and sort it ascending or descending by price. You can also sort it by newest gear. I have gotten complete steals on some items from them. I purchased a $2200 Taylor guitar in MINT condition, with a case for 60% less than retail! I have purchased a few microphones for more than 45% off retail, and they were in perfect condition. Electronic gear like audio interfaces for your DAW or keyboards can depreciate in price faster than say a Gibson Les Paul.
I have dealt with a bunch of different reps from Guitar Center and they have been pretty helpful. Many times have I asked them to text or email me some additional pictures of a used item, so I could get a better handle on what I was looking at. Ask them questions. You may have to wait for a call back if they are slammed. So many retailers post COVID-19 are understaffed. Just do your homework and save yourself a bunch of money on your next purchase.
Best online music store #3. Thomann USA
I honestly wonder how many people have heard of Thomannmusic.com in the United States? I know they are pretty big outside of the US, but for some items – there is no one cheaper!
Now, I want to reiterate, for some items – not all items.
I can tell you I have saved a TON of money purchasing specific items from Thomann. Software is one of those items. Some mics, speakers, guitars. Try it out, seriously. Let me give you some examples:
- Software. Almost all the software I have purchased lately has been through Thomann. It is all cheaper. And when those software companies are running sales, Thomann is cheaper than the actual developer of the software! Items from Waves, Toontrack, Sonible, Native Instruments, the list goes on.
- German Microphones from the likes of AKG and Neumann. A Neumann U87AI, a studio workhorse and possibly one of the most popular microphones on the market right now. Almost all websites are selling this mic brand new for $3295.00 US dollars. Thomann sells the exact same mic for $2599 – with a $300 shock mount?!? Add the shock mount to the price that everyone else is selling it at and that takes it from a $700 difference to $1000 price difference! You people got to check this out!
This not only applies to these few items. Check to see if thomannmusic.com carries what you are looking for, and compare the price!
What’s the catch here? Honestly – I dunno? The only thing that will cost you extra is the cost for shipping. I was looking to purchase a Kali WS-12 Sub to go with my Kali IN-8 II studio monitors. Even with the $100 shipping, the sub was still almost $180 cheaper than the next competitor.
As do many retailers, Thomann also has great deals on factory refurbished “B-Stock” items. Just some more great savings to your wallet.
My best online music store list is complete, I hope you fellow musicians, live sound guys, home studio guru’s and engineers all get a chance what a little educated shopping can save you. Good luck! The Zzounds links provided is an affiliate link and if you decide to use it to purchase something, I could receive a small commission. I only use them because I believe in the information I’ve provided, and they are a great retailer. I will never endorse garbage.
Happy Shopping!